Show-box



(No Model.)

W. G. THOMPSON.

SHOW BOX. I No. 259,438. Patented J11I1G13,1882;

Q Walir C. Tiwwnpsom,

I 5 1 If J I UNITED STATES ATENOT Orrrcn.

SHOW

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters -BOX.

Patent No. 259,438, dated June 13, 1882.

Application filed March 3, 1882. (No iuodeltl To all whom it may concern Beitknown that I, 'W. O. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Williamsburg, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show-Boxes, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to boxes designed and adapted for the storage and exhibition of ribbon, embroidery, edging, braid, elastie,andin fact all of those classes of goods which are or may be wound upon blocks or into the form of rolls. It is desirable that these classes of goods should be put up in such form for the retail trade that they will be protectedi'rom dust and prevented from being soiled, and yet will be in convenient form for exhibition to customers.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a box which shall meet these requirements, and which can be so easily and cheaply produced as to make it practicable for manu t'aeturers or wholesale dealers to supply these classes of goods packed in such boxes to the retail trade.

To that end the invention consists in a box adapted for the storage and exhibition ofthese goods, and having the peculiarities of construction hereinafter fully explained and pointed out.

In said drawings, Figure l is a perspective view ofa box embodying the present invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively longitudinal and transverse vertical sections of the same, the latter showing the cover in a raised position. Fig.4 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the box, showing the rod D supported in a differentmanner, and also showing a difl'erent form of brake or tension device.

The boxA, which is here shown as of rectangularform, although round, polygonal, or other forms of boxes may be used equally well, is of sufficient width and depth to receive the goods in rolls of the desired diameter, and is provided with a lid or cover, B, which may be hinged to one edge of the box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or may be made independentot' the box and held in place by a rim fitting over the upper edges of the sides and ends of the body, the whole being made of sheet metal, wood, pasteboard, or any other suitable material. The body of the box is provided upon one of its sides with the longitudinal slot O, the purpose of which will be presently explained. Extending lengthwise of the box is the rod D, consisting of a piece of'wire ofsuitable size, upon which are mounted a series of plates or disks, E, which, like the box, may be made of wood, sheet metal, pasteboard, or any other suitable material. These plates or disks may be square, and of such a size as to extend nearly the entire width and heightof the box, as shown in Fig. 3; or they may be smaller, and, if desired, they may be made round instead of square. The openings ein the plates E, through which the rod D extends, should be of sufticient size to permit the plates to slide freely along the rod, so that they will readily assume any desired position.

The rod D may rest in bearings a, formed in or attached to the ends of the box, as shown in Fig. 2; or it may be supported by the plates or disks E, which will, in that case, rest upon the bottom of the box, as shown in Fig. 4.

. The rolls F of the goods which the box is to contain are mounted upon the rodD bypassing said rod through their centers or through openings in the blocks upon which theyare wound, as shown in Fig. 3, a plate, E, being placed between each two contiguous rolls,and the rod is then sprung into its hearings to, or, if to be supported by the plates or disks E, as in Fig. 4, simply placed in the box. The ends of the various rolls of goods are then led outward through the slot 0, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Samples of all the different kinds of goods contained in the box are thus clearly exposed to view, and can be inspected and easily compared without the necessity of handling and thus soiling the bulk of the goods. The goods are also protected from dust, 850. When a sale is made the amount required can be readily drawn out through the slot 0, as the roll will turn freely upon the rod D to allow the goods to unwind. I

To prevent the goods from unwinding too freely, a brake or tension device is provided. This brake may be formed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, of aloop, c, of wire passing over each roll and having its ends bent so as to enter the opening at the center of the roll or the block upon which it is wound; or it may be of any of the other well-known constructions for this purpose. A more desirable form of brake or tension device, however, is that shown in Fig. 4, which consists of a simple spiral spring, d, encircling the rod D, and arranged so as to crowd the rolls F and plates E together, so that they will bind, and thus prevent the goods from unwinding too freely. The spring I, instead of being placed, as shown, between the end of the box and the first plate or disks, may be placed between two plates or disks at or near the center of the box.

When the rod D is supported in bearings the disks may be omitted and the device still be operative.

What I claim is 1. The'combination, with the longitudinallyslotted box, of the removable rod D and the I brake or tension device, substantially as described.

2. Thecombinatiomwith thelongitudinally- 2o slotted box, of the removable rod D, carrying the loose plates or disks E, and the tension device or brake, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the longitudinallyslotted box, of theloose removable rod D, carrying and supported by the loose plates E, and the spiral spring (I, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER (J. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

W. (J. HOWARD, T. H. PALMER. 

